Open House planned for new ambulance station

Marshall County's Emergency Medical Service is holding an open house on Aug. 1 at its new ambulance station in Chapel Hill.

From 9 a.m. to noon on that Saturday, the new building will be open to the public, EMS Director James Whorley announced this week.

"It's a good time to come see the building and see that it's not got water all around it like it did in that picture," Whorley said, referring to a front-page picture here several months ago while the station remained under construction and fill dirt hadn't been delivered.

"The lot is built up," he continued. "They didn't build it in a hole."

Access to the new building is from Horton Highway by way of the entrance to Chapel Hill Elementary School.

Shelbyville-based contractor J.R. Warren offered the lowest bid for the ambulance station. It was $297,716, but subsequent negotiations addressed change orders and plan adjustments to lower the cost which was borne jointly by the county and Chapel Hill. County officials had sought refined responses from four of the original 12 bidders in October.

Bids ranged from nearly $400,000 to just over $500,000 when they were opened on Sept. 25.

"It's a new building and it's nice," Whorley said. "Sometimes you don't know where your tax dollars go."

Tours of the building and explanations of the service's mission are to be available during the open house.